


Fall of Obsession

by Megamonster



Category: Original Work
Genre: Character Playing Pokemon, Dorks in Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, High School, Idiots in Love, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Like 2002-2003, Minor Original Character(s), No Smut, Original Character(s), POV Female Character, POV Original Character, Rating: PG13, Sorry Not Sorry, Swearing, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, Teenagers, Underage Smoking, early 2000's
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 02:08:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20788829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megamonster/pseuds/Megamonster
Summary: Ever feel like your life is falling in place, you've got good grades in school, tons of friends and even a romantic partner who loves you with all his heart. Every day you get closer to the end of the year, the more excited you are to leave the town you grew up in. How would you feel if that was all suddenly ripped away in a Thanos type snap of cruelty and fear?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This work was originally called My Monster over on my Wattpad, but I decided to change the title due to it sounding weird in the first place. I like this one better to be honest!

Walking into the bathroom I double check if everything was in order. My brown hair wavy and straight in different places, my outfit pulled together at last minute, thanks to me oversleeping with my alarm screaming in my ear. ‘_Get up, get up time to wake your butt up!’_ Minimal makeup to bring attention to my bright golden brown eyes, they were a unique shade of brown, they had gold flecks peppering throughout my iris. One last pass over in the mirror, satisfied that I pulled this off in five minutes, I sigh and grab my backpack. Striding past the opened room of my mother’s makeshift art studio, I notice the covered painting and thought about this weekend. I would be inviting my boyfriend, one of my best friends and possibly another person, but I haven’t decided on inviting her to come. Out of all the people to invite, my boyfriend wanted the schools whore to come. Knowing her, she probably wouldn’t keep her paws to herself, that thought made me second guess my choice. I love my mom, she’d want to make sure I’m enjoying myself and a smile comes to my face.

I’ve always enjoyed going to my mom’s art shows, the love she has for expressing herself and having something that would actually keep us from living off the streets. If she didn’t have an art show to guest appear in or host, she would sell her pieces for quite a bit of money to buyers online who were interested. Although she was bestowed a god given talent, I on the other hand wasn’t so lucky. I have a cute face that could charm anyone without even having to try. But I wasn’t given the art finesse, mother was a little stunned that I wasn’t given that ability. My voice was something I was gifted with, though, most of the choir would just sit there and listen to me sing. I’ve been offered so many times to join in the musical, but I can’t act so I’d always decline.

Pulling myself from my thoughts, continuing to the stairs and heading out the front door to the bus stop. I’m in my second year of high school, mom still hasn’t gotten around to take me to get my license and teach me to drive. My dad would have loved to teach me, but he only sends me postcards from wherever he lives with his new wife. Not even bothering to call me or meet up in person. Last year for my birthday, he sent me a truck, already paid for just waiting for someone to drive it. He does that, buy me things in exchange for forgiveness. Which was intolerable for a deadbeat father who cheated his family for a woman whom he’d known for about 4 months. So, the bus will have to work for now. The walk would be easier if my pants weren’t dragging on the wet sidewalk from the rain last night.

Up ahead at the stop were a few kids who lived in the neighborhood. Three people I know and the rest were like middle schoolers. A blonde girl standing in a very revealing outfit, Kathy, flirting with a red haired man that was my boyfriend. Brandon was the star football player, which caught me by surprise when he asked me out last fall. A girl like me and a guy like him, almost like a dream come true. Kathy does this all the time though, it makes me mad when she does it. She knows but just doesn’t care. Brandon keeps himself collected, and brushes off every advance she makes. The guy standing next to them in a really baggy hoodie with a mop for hair, he was Jared. A new kid that started school here 6 months ago. He kind of fit in to the whole misfit group of ours, he’s always so quiet and to himself. Except when he’s alone with me, he lights up like a Christmas tree and talks about pretty much anything he’s into. Even though I haven’t known him long, he started to grow on me. He was like a little brother. Brandon and him were buddies, opposites, but hey, opposites attract, even in the same sex.

Before I even made it to them, Kathy had to try one last advance. She had put her hand on his ass and gave a flirty tap on one of his cheeks. I fumed at the sight. Walking straight up to Brandon, I spin him around and plant my lips on him. Hard and predatory. After I break from him, I pierce a glare towards the whore who keeps touching what isn’t hers.

“Do you mind keeping your hands to yourself?” I spit towards her.

“I can’t help it he’s so touchable.” She crosses her arms, smiling. Her almost crop top showing off her navel and fake tan orange skin.

“Guys, it’s a nice day after a long needed rain. Can you two cut it out?” Brandon says taking my hand in his.

“Maybe you could tell her to knock it off once in awhile.” I look up at him. “Or maybe that you’re already spoken for?” His only response is to smile and lean in again to catch my lips. “Hey, I’m being serious. Stop trying to weasel your way out.”

“I know. I’ll try.” He takes my lips for one last peck as the bus strolls to the curb.

“Try harder then.” I whisper, keeping both my eyes unblinking into his.

“God, get a room you two.” Kathy scoffs and gets on the bus as the doors opened.

Brandon, Jared and I follow and find suitable seats nearest the door. Jared sitting adjacent to where Brandon and I were. I shiver at the feeling of eyes on me. Shaking it off I turn to my boyfriend, hand in hand.

“Hey, so you can make it this weekend right?” I ask him with a smile. He looked at me as I batted my eyelashes in a cute puppy dog manner.

“Of course, I wouldn’t want to miss Lilly’s art show.” He chuckles and brings our hands up and kisses the back of mine. I look in front of me across the aisle, Kathy was staring at us with envious eyes. I had the urge to stick my tongue out at her, but instead made Brandon plant his lips on mine. When I looked back at her, she huffed a breath of jealousy, flipped her hair and turned to the front. Smirking to myself for what I did.

“So I’m not inviting Kathy to come, and Sam can’t make it. Celeste is reluctant to join, but I promised her she could smoke all she wanted. Mom said anyone else is welcome to come with, and I can’t think of anyone else.” Brandon turned his head to the left to look at the hooded man next to me. I follow his gaze and try not to let out a sigh.

After I didn’t say anything, he looks back to me. “What about Jared?”

“Is he really a part of our small inner circle? I could just ask May or I could ask Misti!” Brandon gave me a pointed look. “Alright, you have a point.” I chew on the inside of my cheek.

“And yes, I would say he is. He sits at our table, I think he should come.” He smiles at me.

“Fine, but if you spend more time with him than me, I’m complaining _all_ I want.” I whisper in his ear.

“Deal.” He squeezes my hand and gives me a quick peck before the bus pulls to the side of the school’s courtyard. The high school is quite huge. Different sections for each subject you have. We all pile off the bus and walk in the door that has the staircase leading to my locker. I head upstairs, but before my foot makes it to the first step, I’m stopped. “Babe, hey, we gonna eat first?”

“You go on ahead. I want to get a jump start on some math homework.” I take two steps at a time, and I see him follow me. “You should get started on it too, babe. Unless you want your dad to see a second C on another report card.”

“Yea yea yea, but can’t you just bring your math book down to the cafeteria and work down there?”

“Can’t focus with all the people there. Too noisy.” I reply.

“You know, I think Sam’s anti-socialness is rubbing off on you.” Brandon teases. “You’re hiding.”

“I’m not hiding, and Sam is not rubbing off on me.” I say to him. He is partially right though. Sam isn’t quite fond of people, her anti-socialness is bad to the point if anyone so much as glances in her direction, she freezes. She could feel like having an anxiety attack in the hall, but that would create more attention from people and that would make it worse. But Brandon, a complete 180 from Sam, loves people. I mean think about it, he’s the star athlete, he has friends of all sorts. He has the kindest smile and warmest of hearts for anyone he meets. A little too perfect for anyone. But he singles me out from the rest, treating me like his queen, ruling by his side as his kingdom parades around him. Which is why half the time I have to pry Kathy off him everyday, turning a crowd of hostiles into a crowd of friends. This, of course, was his gift brought upon him.

Stepping closer to my locker, I didn’t realize that Jared was tagging along until he spoke. “Where are you guys heading to?” He asks in a quiet friendly tone.

“My locker, gonna sit in advisory and get an early start on some homework.” I mumble. Although I believe Jared to be like a stand-in brother, he worries a little too much about me for it to be considered normal. I mean, Sam has an older brother who is at a college out of state, he is protective and worrisome, but not like how Jared is sometimes. This guy has dark gray hair that nearly touches his shoulders. Big brown eyes and built like a linebacker. Underneath all the baggy clothing he decides to wear, you wouldn’t be able to tell how built he was. He’s usually emotionless, unless you catch him off guard, make him smile and laugh, he’s pretty cool. From what I know about him, he is like a year older, held back in the first grade or something. At least that’s what he told Brandon.

I shook away from my thoughts and put in my locker combo, checking my schedule and grabbing the books I need. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, I felt eyes on me again. I’m sure Brandon and Jared were staring, but it felt, deeper. More concentrated on every motion my body made. I close my locker and turn to them. The feeling dissipated. Brandon grabs my hand and Jared’s on the other side of me. We walk down the hall a few feet and Brandon drops everything to run to a football buddy of his.

“Drew, hey!” He shouts as he walks with him down the hall. Leaving me alone with Jared, I look over to him and he’s staring at me with those big brown eyes.

“So.” I say to him not knowing what to talk about. “What are your plans for Thanksgiving?”

“Nothing really. I don’t have family other than my father, he’s a traveling pharmacist.”

“Like an apothecary?”

“Sort of.” He chuckles and shakes his bangs out of face. 

Jared walks me to advisory, giving me a short smile before walking away. He’s a sweet guy. My just seemed like it was going to get better, even knowing that a glorious Friday was going to be filled with boring lectures and lots of homework due for Monday. The only class I actually looked forward to was choir, and meeting up with friends at lunch. Today was going to be a long day.


	2. Chapter 2

“Gosh dangit! No.” I slam my locker, nearly catching my finger in it. I worked ahead in the chapter for math homework and forgotten today’s on my desk in my room. I told Mrs. Tanner that I would check my locker and bring it back to her. Now that I don’t have it, I’ll only get half credit when I turn it in on Monday. It won’t drop my grade any, just don’t like being tardy for homework. Checking my finger to make sure it was ok, I look at the one next to it, I scraped it on a bolt when I was placing my gum under the chair. Today was already off to a bad start. “Just hope my day doesn’t get any worse.” I walk over to a wooden door and knock on it three times, pardon my superstition.

“It could get worse, and you know it.” A short curvy girl swaggered her way over to me.

“Celeste, not now. I don’t need any bad juju on my side today.” I met her deep brown eyes. “Haven’t seen you all day, where you been?”

She crossed her arms, popped her hip to the left and leaned on her right foot. Shaking her head to move the bangs from her middle part out of her face. “Around. Hey, since it’s lunch, wanna sit with me? Could use your company.”

“I promised Roxxi that I’d sit with them today, sorry. And you know I don’t like being around you when you smoke.”

“Right, it just seems that you hang out more with _those _bunch than me.”

“Celeste, I’ll be spending the whole weekend with you. You’ll be fine.” She pouted for only a moment and then giggled.

“That’s right, totes spaced on this weekend. Yea, ok, see you later, Bitch.”

“Later, Birch.” I chuckled and watched her disappear into the crowd.

Finally getting downstairs to the cafeteria, I set my stuff down and get in line. I grab a tray just as I’m met with Sam and Roxxi.

“Hey Brae!” She says and grabs a tray and stands next to me.

“Hey guys.” I look over to Sam, she wasn’t talking and she had her signature small scowl which is a face she makes when she has a headache.

“So, what’s after lunch for you?” Roxxi asks.

“An hour of study hall, finally.” I sigh. “What about you guys?”

“Math.”

“English.” Sam mutters. Our conversations are the typical banter if anything. We get into the same line and wait impatiently for food to be placed on our trays. Seems like the line is taking forever and my stomach is growling at the enticing smell of popcorn chicken. As I look to the front of the line, Charismatic Karen was chatting it up with one of the lunch staff, at this point I was getting hangry. I had to control myself from yelling at her to move her buns so others could be free from this torturous starvation. Thank the lords, Steven nudged her forward with his tray and the line moved on.

“So are you doing it tonight?” Roxxi presses.

I blush at her question. “I plan on it.” I stay quiet in case one of Brandon’s buddies is listening in. “I just hope nothing spoils it, though.”

"Are you doing anything fancy?” Suggestively wagging her brows.

I half shrug, “No, well, I dunno. Mom’s got stuff to do after she picks me up, so hopefully she doesn’t suspect anything.” Roxxi laughs at that.

We pay for our lunch and head back to our seats. The atmosphere of energy around the three of us changed once we were met with other friends of our larger circle. I love the way Sam would flirt with Zak at lunch, he does it right back but neither of them take it any further than that. It makes me smile to know that at least she’s taken an interest in boys, especially him, he’s a total sweetheart and would treat her right. I sat on the side where Jared was talking to May, he looked like he wasn’t too fond of the conversation they were having, but once she left, I took her place in front of him. I noticed how those dewy eyes lit up as he saw me, my face flushed a bit.

“Hey Jared.” I smile at him.

“H-hey Braelyn.” He responds.

“Jared, you can call me Brae, you are one of my friends.” I reassure him and dig into my food.

“Right.” He laughs a little and shakes his bangs out of his eyes.

“You not hungry?” I point at him with my fork after I take a bit of food into my mouth.

“Not really, no.” He has a hard time keeping eye contact. “Brae, I-”

“Brandon?” I furrow my brows as I see him walking over to me, Kathy in tow. “What are you doing here? You should be in math class right now.”

“Yea, I’m skipping.” That doesn’t sound like him, he never skips class. His dad would be on his case if he missed a lecture.

“Babe, you should be in class, and not with that hussy behind you.” Never breaking his gaze.

“You’re right, I’m sorry.” He leans down to kiss me, but I move my face from his lips. He sighs and gets my cheek. “Scoot over.”

“Why, you don’t have lunch until after math.”

“Just scoot over.” He gestures with his hands to get me to move.

“No, if you want to sit by me then sit on the other side.”

“Fine.” He mutters. Little fights are usually handled as they should be. Poor Jared has to endure the majority of them because he hangs out with Brandon pretty much all the time. He tries to grab my hand but I grab something off my tray with it.

“I, just don’t want you getting into another fight with your father.” I turn my head.

“I know you don’t, neither do I. But he’s gotta know that I’m gonna have to rebel at some point in my high school career.” This time I don’t move my hand when he laces our fingers together.

“Just don’t make a habit of it, promise?” My features soft, to charm him.

“Promise.” He leans in and I allow him to kiss me. His mouth doesn’t taste like him, tastes different. Almost like cherries and is sticky, like, lip gloss. I turn my head to Kathy, who was currently reapplying her 9th layer of the day. Sharp daggers of golden pointed at her as she smirks, closing her compact and stuffing both items in her purse. Trying to put two and two together, my brain processing the reasons they showed up together and why he skipped class. She had seduced him somehow.

“Did Kathy kiss you?” I narrow my eyes at Brandon.

“Yes, but I pushed her off as soon as she did.”

“She only kissed you, though.” I cross my arms over my chest.

“Yes.” Kathy made an incredulous noise and I shot my attention back to her. Sam happened to notice the tension between the three of us, because she had silently gotten up and dragged Kathy away from me to talk to her.

“I really, _ really _, don’t want you hanging around her no more. I’m not trying to be the controlling girlfriend in the relationship, but if she continues to plaster herself to your backside everyday, and you make no move whatsoever to tell her off, then this is what’s going to happen.”

“I understand.” He says plainly. There was something in his eyes that told me otherwise, but didn’t want to bother with a third argument of the lunch hour. I looked around to find where Sam went, she was just outside the doors in the hallway as Kathy stormed off.

“Be right back.” I say and go to console my best friend. “It’s ok Sam.” Placing a hand on her frail little shoulder.

“I’m sorry.” She whispers.

“Not your fault she acts like that to you and me. She’s a bitch, excuse my language.” I frown and look back as she sashays her way to a senior guy at his locker. Sighing my hatred away, looking back to our friends at the table, smiling, because I know that they care. “Come on.” I nudged her back to the table, arm around her shoulders and I see Jared watching intently. Sam goes back to sitting in front of Zak, and me next to Brandon, who had taken my spot in front Jared.

“So I talked to Jared about coming to the art show with us tomorrow.” Brandon tells me.

“What do you say Jared? It’ll be a lot of fun. We walk around to look at the other art works, then we go to the fall festival while my mom works on selling her pieces.” I place a hand over his that were on the table. I feel him jerk at the touch, and his heart rate accelerate.

“Yea, I think that will be fun.” He smiles at me.

“Great, um, I still need to let my mom know and I’ll let you know when to meet at my house. Your parents won’t have a problem with it will they?” I ask.

“My dad should be ok with it, just as long as he knows where I am.” Jared says.

“Awesome.” I say and hook my arm through Brandon’s on the table and leaned on his shoulder. I can faintly see Jared clench his jaw and force a smile at us. There’s something about him that I can’t place. He shares his likes and dislikes, but all the while, he’s like a wall. His emotions are hidden most of the time, it’s hard to distinguish what he’s feeling. But, in this moment, a hint of jealousy and frustration. It was nothing too alarming.

Lunch was over rather quickly and I went to my next class.

Then the next.

And finally the last hour of the day. I could finish some much needed homework so I didn’t have to do it over the weekend. I stop off at my locker to grab my gym bag, don’t need stinky gym shorts smelling the halls all weekend. Closing the locker door, turning around and nearly crapped my pants.

“Jared, you scared me.” I chuckle with a hand dramatically over my chest.

“S-sorry.”

Something about him didn’t feel right. I have a good sense and can pick up on certain auras. “You alright? You seem a little steamed up.”

“Yea.” He breathes out. “Actually, no, I’m not alright.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

He pauses momentarily, as if hesitation kept him from speaking, finally he shakes his head. “Not really.”

“Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me.” I smile and place a kind hand to his shoulder before leaving for class. I would have sat there and let him confide in me, but the clock was counting down until class started, so I had to leave him. 

My thoughts left me when I saw Sam smiling into her well used book, seeing her smile always makes me feel better. With all the stuff happening in her life, she deserves a little happiness, even if it comes from a fantasy world. Last spring her mom found out she was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. Sam had pushed her mom to go to the doctor when Sam was noticing her mom not eating much, her already skinny frame turning to nothing but bone. They were both devastated, her mom doesn’t want any treatment for this, but Sam refuses to lose her. She went through the pain of losing someone when her dad was run over by drunk teens coming from a house party. Now she was going to lose the person she idolizes. She’s strong, I know she can get through this, they both will.

“Hey Sammy.” I sit across from her. Briefly taking her eyes from the pages to give me a smile and going back into the fiction world. I place my textbook for this class out on the table, and as the bell rang for the hour, Brandon came strolling in. He looked scared shitless. “Brandon, you ok?”

“Huh, yea, fine.” He pecked my cheek quick and Sam gave him a knowing glance. He scratched the back of his head and turned his attention to the teacher in the front of the room. Just as the teacher was talking about what we were going to be doing, the fourth person of our table entered the room.

“Celeste, you’re late.” Mrs. Baumen plainly said.

“Hm,” she holds up her arm, looking at her wrist which was bare. Her t-shirt sleeve falling and a smidge of a nicotine patch could be seen under her arm, “would you look at that, it’s right on time.”

“Right on time for what?”

“Right on time for ‘Fuck you’.” Celeste flips Mrs. Baumen the bird.

“Place your ID in the basket and sit down. After class, go straight down the principal’s office.” She cooled her temper in front of the class. Celeste tossed the ID on the desk without a care and sat next to Sam opposite of me.

When the teacher assigned us to do group work, I leaned in to Brandon.

“What’s going on with you?” I whisper.

“Nothing.” He doesn’t meet my eyes. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it.” Scrawling in his notebook from the open textbook.

“Mhm.”

“Seriously, just, drop it. Kay?” Then he meets my eyes. He’s usually not like this, so reserved and panicky.

“Alright.” I turn back to my textbook open in front of me. The rest of the class was filled with silence at our table, until Celeste started chewing her gum annoyingly. I sighed but continued my work.

“So Bitch, what time is the party startin’?”

“Be at my house by 9.”

“No chance for me to sleep in?”

“You can sleep in the car, I’m putting you up front with my mom.”

“All access pass to the passenger window, sweet!” She claps and rubs her hands together. I smiled at her and went back to the textbook.

When the bell rang, to let us know another fulfilled school week has ended, we all put our chairs up and walked out of the room. Brandon and Sam each stopped at our lockers then we went to where my mom was waiting for us.

I allowed Sam to sit up front while I got in the back with Brandon.

“Hey mom.” I say as I buckle.

“Hi sweetie, how was school?” She checked in her mirrors and blind spots before pulling off the curb.

“Fine.”

“Kathy giving you more hell?”

“As per usual.” Silence. “Oh, mom?”

“Yea baby?”

“I was wondering if I could invite my friend Jared to come with us tomorrow.”

“Have I met this friend?” She looks at me in the rear-view mirror.

“I think so. He said he’d be by in the morning, so if you want to interrogate him you can.”

“Would have been nice to have gotten a text from you about it, but, alright.”

“Hey babe.”

I turn to Brandon. “Yea?”

“Do you think I could spend the night tonight, that way I’m already there?”

“You’d have to ask my mom.” I smile at him and take his hand.

“Yes you can Brandon.” My mom says.

“Thanks Mrs. James.” He says.

“You’ve been with my daughter for quite sometime now, please, call me Lilly.” As we drove closer to Sam’s house, Brandon held tight to my hand, like he would lose me the second we stopped. I found it especially strange since Kathy was walking on the other side of the street a block away. I turned to look at him, but he was staring straight ahead. Something was definitely up with him, I just know it.

“See you later, Sammy. I love you.” I wave my bestie goodbye.

“Love you too. Thanks mom.” Sam smiles small and exits the car.

“No problem, tell your mom I said hi.” My momma says leaning down to look out the open window.

“Will do.”

She drives a little bit down the road and turns right, pulling up to the curb in the middle of the block. On the left was Brandon’s house, a blue traditional two story home resides between a couple low income duplexes. Brandon hesitates a moment before getting out of the back. I turn to look at him again, however, as I do, I hear a scoff which brought my attention to the front of the house. Kathy was sashaying past the car, probably waiting for Brandon or something. My anger beginning to ignite, at what she might have planned, sitting there like a lost puppy and what not.

Grabbing Brandon’s hand, with the other I open the door and pull him out. He still is tightly holding on like he did before. Avoiding any eye contact as if the whore were expecting it from him.

“C’mon, I’ll wait downstairs.” I lead him into his house and waited on the couch in his living room. His mom was folding laundry next to me and we were making small talk in the meantime. Eventually he came back down, football duffle slung over his shoulder and Letterman Jacket draped over his arm. I wave goodbye to his mom and link my arm with his, walking out the front door.

The short drive home was calming and giggly.

Mom pulled into the driveway to let us out. She had to go talk to the curator down at the gallery in Wausau. I waved her off and went to unlock the front door. I led Brandon upstairs to the guest room he always stays in when he sleeps over. Mom never wanted us to sleep in the same room, since she knew what boys were thinking at that age. Well, she could be more right, I also had that in my mind.

“So.” I say to him, nervously jamming my hands in my jean pockets.

“So.” He echos in return.

“Wha’d’you wanna do?” Shrugging my shoulders slowly as I ask while a deep blush dusts my cheeks. God if Roxxi heard how I decided to start off the topic of sex, she’d laugh and post about it on her blog. Who knows how many hits that would get.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” He smirks and inches closer to me. Dropping his bag to the floor as he cups his hands around my face. I shrug again, smiling like an idiot and averting his ocean blue eyes. “You’re not fooling me are you?” His hands move when I shake my head. He kisses me deeply and fits his body up to mine.

After a bit I made a move to pull away, “I-I think I’m ready.” He grins wider and surges forward, guiding me to the bed until we fall onto it.

  
  


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An hour later, we were in the living room and cuddling on the couch watching a movie with a bowl of popcorn on our laps. Brandon had ordered pizza and were currently waiting for it.

“So, what should I be expecting when we get to the gallery?” Brandon asks.

“Nothing too crazy. Mom said that the fall festival at that town was gonna be bigger than last year and said we could go there instead of being at the gallery or the hotel all night.”

“Oooh, that’ll be fun!” He cuddles me closer.

“Yea, hopefully.” I sink deeper into his embrace, enjoying his closeness, and smelling the cologne he wears. He smells real good, musky with a hint of peppermint.

I bought him that for his birthday last year. He was a little hard to shop for since we’d only been together three months. But he loved it and wore it everyday since.

My nice relaxing cuddle time was interrupted by my phone buzzing on the coffee table. At first I thought, who would be texting me on a Friday night, then my second thought was probably Jared or maybe Sam. She was supposed to give me an update on how her mom was doing.

“Ignore it.” Brandon mumbled.

“Babe, come on.” I leaned up and reach my left hand out for it. Flicking the screen of my T-mobile Sidekick up to view the message.

_ ‘Bitch I here.’ _

“It’s from Celeste.” I furrow my brows at the message. The next thing I know the front door practically explodes open and Celeste comes walking into the living room, dropping her bag on the floor.

“Learn to text back, sheesh.” She makes herself at home in the oversized recliner adjacent to the couch on the other side of Brandon.

“What’re you doing here? We aren’t leaving until the morning.”

“Sleep over, duh.”

“Celeste, no.”

“So, what, I can’t spend the night but Pillsbury Fuck Boy can?”

“Celeste!” Brandon and I both shout at her.

“What? He clearly is.” She pulls up the lever to pop the foot rest up. “What are we watching?”

“Jeepers Creepers 2.”

“Agh, a horror movie?”

“Tough, you weren’t invited tonight so, deal with it.” Brandon told her. I turn my attention back onto the screen and watch as a kid on the bus lifted the creepers wing and started complaining that it was like a shower curtain. Brandon and I both jump as the wing wraps around the guy and starts pulling him up. I hear Celeste whining and kinda freaking out as his friends try to help him. I had a feeling of what was going to happen, and was right when the kids head came right off. Celeste screamed and cowered in the chair, covering her eyes through the whole thing.

“For a tough birch, you sure are a scaredy cat.”

“Fuck off! I hate this kinda shit!” She shouted, muffled slightly behind her hands.

I chuckle at her feared state. For the years that I have known her, Celeste always had this front to her, never let anyone see her when she’s weak. I like seeing her innocent side more than anything, it shows that she's a little bit human. During a particularly silent part of the movie, however, Celeste screams again as the doorbell rings. Brandon and I both laugh at her basically turning into a burrito, wrapping herself up with the afghan blanket on the back of the recliner.

Brandon pushes my legs off of his and untangles me from his warm heat. Leaving me cold and leaning toward the dent left in the cushion. Pulling his wallet out of his back pocket as he walks to the front door.

“So, how was detention today?” I ask her, knowing full well her answer is always the same.

“Boring A F!” Turning the recliner so that she was facing me. “Same old speech Mrs. Bitchtits gives.” She is talking about the vice principal, lecturing her about her behavior, telling her to do her work, and that she’ll never amount to anything after she graduates. Like it’ll matter to her, she’s only there to graduate, apply to UW Madison and party with the frat boys. The only time Celeste would suck it up being in a sorority, around all those stuck up, prissy, hoebags.

“Could you be a little nicer to the teachers?” I ask her kindly.

“What do you mean? I give the male teachers blowjobs.” Brandon walked back into the room with the two boxes of pizza and a six pack of soda.

“I don’t wanna know what I just walked in to.”

“I mean, I could be ‘nicer’ to you, but I’m sure Braelyn is already doing that.” I gulp at her remark, distracting myself by opening one of the boxes and taking a slice. Before pulling away, the smell of the other pizza box that was still closed wafted into my nose.

“Ughh, Brandon, don’t tell me that you got your stank-pie!” All he had to do was smirk at me over the rim of his soda can.

“Leave my peppers and onions alone!” He defends himself. “You like your boring pepperoni pizza, and I accept that, why can’t you like mine?”

“Because I have to kiss you, and I don’t want to taste peppers while making out with you.”

“Aw babe, that hurt.” Brandon dramatically placed his hand over his heart. “How ‘bout I kiss you before I eat?” I wipe my mouth with a napkin and pull him in for a quick kiss. Only, it wasn’t a quick peck, intentionally it was supposed to be, but I’m greedy and love kissing. Especially with someone who has soft, plush lips such as this handsome athlete at my fingertips.

We were getting a little carried away with what we were doing, getting too heated, arms wrapping around each other so tight. Every time he kissed me, it was like the first. So passionate, never one to hold back. The kisses made my head spin with desire. My hands thread their way into his auburn locks, mussing up the fringed style he goes for. At this moment, it’s just us, no one else.

Brandon and I jump apart at the sound of Celeste screaming again. Both our hearts beating behind their bone prisons. I smile at my handsome man and open up a soda, continuing to eat and finish the movie we rented from Blockbuster.

After another rousing horror flick, Celeste couldn’t take another one even though we had one more to watch. _ Final Destination 2 _ was a little too real for her and she just wanted to stop. We pleaded with her to watch the last one with us, _ Scream 3 _, I had seen the first two and never got the chance to see the third installment. It took a lot of begging, and Celeste finally came around.

I was falling asleep on the couch, willing myself to stay awake to watch the ending. Brandon’s body heat was just so inviting as I was tucked into his side. My eyes closing very shortly during a chase scene, shooting open again as Brandon coughed. He knew I was drifting off and would be upset if I missed this. So I kept trying to keep my eyes open. I was shocked and half awake when I saw who the ghost face killer was. Not who I was expecting.

Once the movie was over with, Brandon went to clean up the coffee table. Taking the pizzas, soda and popcorn bowl into the kitchen. I curled up under the blanket on the couch, grinning, waiting. Celeste was playing on her Game Boy Color, distracting herself for the time being by playing _ Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire _. My boyfriend came back into the living room, I could feel him towering over me. I’m sure he had his hands on his hips and is shaking his head.

“C’mon Snorlax, time for bed.”

My eyes spring open and my mouth widens in offense, scoffing at him. “I am not a Snorlax, if anything I’d be an Eevee!”

“In any case, let’s go, we gotta be up early.” He goes to grab my arms to pull me up. Not helping him one bit, going limp as he tries.

“Can’t move, Jigglypuff sang to me, it was super effective. Looks like you gotta carry me.”

“Hey! My singing wasn’t that bad.” Celeste pipes in. Standing from the recliner and taking a hold of her bag, waiting on the two Pokénerds. Brandon rolls his eyes and scoops me up in his strong quarterback arms. I giggle at my victory, he switches how he’s holding me by throwing me over his shoulder, smacking my rear.

“Ow! Friggin’ jerkface!” Still giggling as he leads Celeste out of the living room, carrying me like I’m the football equipment they have to bring.

“That’s what you get for making me carry you. I gotta get something out of this.”

“You get to sleep with me, isn’t that enough?” He smacks my booty again as we are walking up the stairs.

“True.” Brandon knew that since Celeste was spending the night too, that he’d be able to sleep with me. He went into the guest room to grab his duffle and walk back into the hall. “Looks like you get the spare room.” He flashes her a grin. After our little, thing, that we did earlier, I changed the sheets and put the soiled ones in the laundry room, then we remade the bed. Just in case. Brandon walked into my room and threw me down on my bed. I got up right away to change into pajamas.

Usually Celeste puts up a fight about not following my mom’s rules, but I’m assuming she must not have the energy to care after the horror movies. Brandon goes into the bathroom conjoined to my room to change as well. I just get my pajama shorts on when we hear, “Did you guys fuck?!”


End file.
